Life-saving device



Oct. 7 1924. 1,510,595

' H. E. HODGSON LIFE} sAvING- DEVlCE Filed May 9. .1923

A TTORNE Y Patented Get. 7, 1924.

nannrnrrn n. noneson, or new YORK, n. Y.

LTFE-SAVING DEVICE.

Application filed May 8,

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that T, Hiinninrrn E. Hons- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented 2. new and useful Life-Saving Device, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a rescue apparatus adapted to be thrown with accuracy, to a great distance, to a person struggling in the water, and by such person to be readily grasped, affording means to which he can cling until rescued or drawn to safety. The device is distinguished from life-buoys, which are comparatively large and highly buoyant, in order' to sustain a person in the water, but is especially adapted for use in connection with such a buoy, which can be sent down the inc-lined rescue line to the precise spot.where the person is clingin The device employs a comparatively small and heavy, low-buoyancy body, made purposely for throwing with accuracy to a distance, as stated, in the manner of a baseball, Greek discus or the like, this missile member carrying a rescue line, and for the better performance of its function when in the water being equipped with a system of cords and floats, as hereinafter described.

This device is intended to be the first object thrown to a sailor overboard, or a person out of his depth sea-bathing, or in any emergency where drowning is imminent. In the case of a person who has fallen from a vessel, the individual grasps the device floating on the water and connected to the ship by the line, and holds on until the real life-preserver is slipped down to him over the line by some one on board. The life-preserver cast to him in this way has no chance of missing its direction, as is so often the case in handling so cumbe some an object, subject to deflection by the wind.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the mode of use of the device from a ship;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with its cords and floats spread out, and a por tion of the rescue line;

Fig. 3 is a central section through the particular form of low-buoyancy member seen in Fig. 2, portions of the cords and one of the floats being shown;

1922. Serial No. 637,633.

4 is a plan view of another form; and jig. 5 is a vertical section through the missile member shown in Fig.4:.

The missile member 2 is a sphere of wood of not too light character, the size of which may range, for example, from that of a baseball to that of a croquet ball, though manifestly Ido not limit myself to the precise size or material or materials, the important factors being that the device he designed for accurate, long distance throwing and to float as a marker and object t grasp and cling to.

The rescue line 3, which is attached to the member 2, should be light but strong, and of ample length.

Radial holes bored through the member permit the passage of short cords 4, on which are small floats 5. A cord or cords 6 may connect these floats or the cords l, to make a sort of network and to produce a better spreading in the water. The cords 4: may be advantageously secured to the ball by knotting them at 7, at opposite sides thereof, and similar knots hold the floats in position on the cords and space them around the connecting cord 6, where the latter is used. The cords and floats may be. made quite fine and small so as not to interfere with throwing, and the general purpose of such provisions is to increase the radius ofthe device when on the water and also its visibility, for which latter purpose the floats may be white or brightly colored, as may be also the central missile member.

Fig. 1 shows the device spread out on the water, having been thrown from a ship, to the deck of which the line 3 passes. A man in the water has just clutched the marker, and an annular life-buoy or life-preserver a is seen descending the line to him. It may be noted that the marker is sufficiently small and collapsible to permit the life-preserver to pass over it. i

4i and 5 illustrate another form of the device, in which the disc form is used for the member 2*. Holes pierced through the outer part of the disk, parallel with the axis, permit the passage and tying of th end of the line 3. and of'double trailing cords 4?, tied at the middle and carrying floats 5? at the ends. In this form a connecting cord, such as the cord 6 of Figs. 1 to 3. is omitted, as the float cords will naturally tend to spread out in the water; and

in general it is to be understood that do not limit myself to the details, and that there may be various changes, omissions and substitutions within the scope of the claims,

The method of effecting a rescue at sea has already been described, and obviously the same method may be iollowed in throwing the device from piers, docks and the like. To rescue a person out of his depth or seized with cramp when bathing, one on shore or in shallow water has only to throw the discus or ball to him so that he may seize and hold it or an appendage, to which he will cling as every drowning person will do, and then draw him safely to shore. In this way a person in danger can be reached immediately,-much more quickly than by swimming or rowing out to him,and the rescue is not only practically certain but it is also not attended by any of the usual risk to the rescuer.

What I claim as new is:

L A life-saving apparatus of the character (escribed comprising a hand throwing member of low buoyancy, adapted for throwing to a distance a rescue line connected adapted for sending a life-buoy 

